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Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe

➤ Introduction for Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe

Holy cow, this Asian Chicken Marinade is amazing! What a perfect balance of soy sauce and seasonings that helps turn your boring chicken into the chicken topping of your dreams. The flavors maintain themselves till every bite.

What I love is that everything is working together in unison. The soy sauce provides the deep base flavor while the rice vinegar providing brightness to everything it touches. Together they don’t just taste good – they’re breaking down the chicken fibers, making them tender!

And don’t even get me started on the ginger and garlic! When those aromatics hit a pan, your kitchen smells amazing (and it continues to smell amazing until the chicken is finished)! And then there’s the honey and brown sugar – can you envision the caramelization that happens during the cooking process, resulting in beautiful crispy edges? Chef’s kiss.

And then when the chicken is done, it is so juicy and has all those layers of flavors from the marinade continuing to build from the longer you marinate it…. and here’s the kicker – this marinade is great for everything – grilling, baking or stir-frying!

A bowl filled with chicken in sauce, garnished with fresh green onions, presenting a delicious meal option.
Asian Chicken Marinade

➤ Why I Love This Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe

I truly enjoy this Asian Chicken Marinade. It can go from plain chicken to takeout quality chicken that tastes better (to me) than our favorite Asian restaurant.
One of the aspects that amazes me is its versatility. I can use this on thighs, breasts, wings, or even an entire chicken, and it consistently turns out to be fantastic.
I have used this Asian Chicken Marinade for grilling, baking, stirFrying, and pan-searing. I love the flavor that is always incredible no matter the cooking method.
When I meal prep, I will make extra Asian Chicken Marinade and using bags, I will freeze it with chicken. This method is an absolute lifesaver on busy weeknight dinners!

➤ Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe Ingredients

Let’s do this marinade thing RIGHT:

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (becausewe’re pretending to be healthy)
1/4 cup ricevinegar (okay, maybe it was more like a splash of a quarter cup of rice vinegar)
2 fat tablespoons of brown sugar (listen, I don’t want to hear anygrumbling about sugar…you need it to make it taste as good as it should)
2 tablespoons of honey (don’t use honey blend, just find the good stuff)
2 FAT tablespoons of sesame oil (smellsAMAZING! right?)

Now, for the flavor bomb:

4 smashed cloves of garlic (more if you want, a lot if you don’t have any planned dates this week!)
2 tablespoons of fresh grated ginger (yeah, you probably strain your knuckles on this one)
3 green onions – chopped as finely as you can (or your patience can handle…)
1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice (not the stuff that comes in a bottle, come on!)
1 teaspoon of zest that you zested from the lime (c’mon, do not zest that out of a jar or bottle)

Spice mix? Here is what you’ll need:

Red papper flake, about a teaspoon, If you’re being adventurous you can always add more, nobody is judging.
White pepper, half a teaspoon, ground up.
Chinese five-spice, also half a teaspoon (this is magic, trust me).
Ground coriander, a quarter teaspoon. Yes, only a pinch of this stuff goes a long way.

Now for the chicken mixture:

Two-to-three pounds of chicken (thighs, breasts, whatever kind you have in the fridge)
Tablespoon of cornstarch (not necessary, but you will have extra tender, silky chicken)
A couple of tablespoons of veggie oil, enough to slick your pan and get the shale on.

A collection of ingredients for chicken with rice, featuring garlic, ginger, and other spices on a kitchen countertop.

➤ How to Make Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe

1 • This is the point for preparing the marinade:

•So grab a large bowl. Pour in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and the honey. Now whisk it until the sugar is gone. There’s no stopping until it’s gone! While whisking, drizzle in the sesame oil. Everything should come together to look shiny and smooth. Not bad, huh?

Close-up of a glass bowl with a whisk mixing a smooth sauce, set against a kitchen background.

2 • Now the flavor bomb:

•Add your garlic (minced very finely), a big chunk or two of grated ginger, and a whole bunch of chopped green onions. Squeeze your lime dry, and zest the lime. This is the tangy zip of the whole marinade—this is why your guests will say, “Whoa, what’s in this?”. It is basically your secret weapon!

3 • Add the spices:

•Include the red pepper flakes, white pepper, Chinese five-spice, and coriander to the bowl. Whisk vigorously so that all of the spices are combined evenly in the marinade – we don’t want clumps of spices!

•Pat your chicken dry with paper towels – this will help the marinade to adhere and penetrate. If you are using chicken breasts, pound them so they are the same thickness through the meat. For extra tender chicken, lightly dust the pieces with cornstarch before the marinating step – don’t question me!

Raw chicken breast on a cutting board, surrounded by fresh herbs and spices ready for preparation.

5 • Marinate that chicken, baby:

•Take a large ziplock bag and enter your chicken. Pour the marinade over it, go crazy! Get your hands dirty, squish everything around, make sure every piece is swimming in flavor boost. Seal it up, throw it in the fridge, and marinate it for at least half an hour. Overnight is ultimately ideal, if that patience can last that long.

A person raises a bag of meat high above their head, showcasing its contents.

6 • Let’s cook some chicken:

•Take the chicken out of the fridge and let the excess marinade drip off. Do not discard that marinade—it’s a great glaze ingredient. Let the chicken rest on the counter for about 15 minutes—don’t cook meat straight from the fridge because if you’re doing that you’re a rookie.

7 • How am I gonna cook this?

•Grilling? Go medium-high, about 6-8 minutes per side—whatever you do, make sure that inside temp reaches 165°F (no one likes the surprise chicken). Baking? Preheat the oven to 425°F and bake it for about 20-25 minutes—unless you picked up chicken parts the size of dinosaurs. Stir-frying? Cut it small and throw them in with hot oil for 4-6 minutes—you’re good to go!

Chicken breast cooking in a frying pan, garnished with green onions and sprinkled with chili flakes.

8 • Rest and Enjoy:

•No joke, don’t start hacking into that chicken until you let it chill for a good 5 minutes. You’ll be glad you did when you’re not looking at chicken juice running all over your cutting board. Want some extra pizazz? Throw on some green onions or sesame seeds. Boom, you’re a chef!

A white plate featuring chicken garnished with green onions and drizzled with chili sauce.

➤ Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe Tips & Variations

• It is pretty amazing I can customize the level of spice for everyone – I start with a touch of red pepper flakes when my kids are eating, then crank it up until I find the sweet spot that nobody is crying, but everyone is happy.
• The honey and brown sugar combo is magnificent, but I always change things up! Sometimes I use maple syrup for some deeper flavor, agave for a cleaner flavor, or molasses when I want that deep, rich flavor that pairs so well with the soy sauce!
• Rice vinegar is my go-to to keep it authentic, but honestly? If I’m out, sometimes white wine vinegar offers this sharper punch that some people prefer. Apple cider vinegar provides this odd fruity thing that somehow works fantastic with onions and all of those Asian flavors too.

➤ Serving Suggestions for Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe

• I’m obsessed with serving this over jasmine rice (especially fluffy jasmine rice) with any veggies I have – snow peas, bell peppers, baby corn – honestly 10xs better than any takeout I’ve eaten!
• And those lettuce wraps?! Honestly a game changer. I take my butter lettuce, pile on some sliced chicken, sprinkle in some crunchy peanuts, fresh cilantro and mint, shredded carrots, and then I drizzle sriracha everywhere. It can get a little messy – but that’s half the fun – everyone is laughing and having a good time.
• When I’m feeling fancy, I will grate it all up over a big ass salad with mixed greens, mandarin oranges, and sliced almonds. Then I make this sesame ginger dressing, which is perfect with the marinade flavors, and have this upscale dinner that really just makes me feel like I’m in some restaurant when I’m really in my thunderpants in my kitchen!

If you love this Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe so much, you have to try our Baked Teriyaki Chicken – that sweet savoy glaze gets all caramelized and delicious in the oven!

➤ Storage and Leftovers

Use this marinade immediately or keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to a week in any airtight container.
Once the chicken is marinating, ensure to cook the chicken within 24 hours – it will taste its best and be safe to eat.
Left over? The left over chicken will keep in the refrigerator for 4 days. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months for meal prep.
Here is something really important – DO NOT, reuse marinade that you have used with raw chicken. Either make more or save some marinade before you add chicken.

Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe

Recipe by NatalieCourse: Breakfast
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes
Calories

320

kcal

Ingredients

  • Let’s do this marinade thing RIGHT:
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (becausewe’re pretending to be healthy)

  • 1/4 cup ricevinegar (okay, maybe it was more like a splash of a quarter cup of rice vinegar)

  • 2 fat tablespoons of brown sugar (listen, I don’t want to hear anygrumbling about sugar…you need it to make it taste as good as it should)

  • 22 tablespoons of honey (don’t use honey blend, just find the good stuff)

  • 2 FAT tablespoons of sesame oil (smellsAMAZING! right?)

  • Now, for the flavor bomb:
  • 4 smashed cloves of garlic (more if you want, a lot if you don’t have any planned dates this week!)

  • 2 tablespoons of fresh grated ginger (yeah, you probably strain your knuckles on this one)

  • 3 green onions – chopped as finely as you can (or your patience can handle…)

  • 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice (not the stuff that comes in a bottle, come on!)

  • 1 teaspoon of zest that you zested from the lime (c’mon, do not zest that out of a jar or bottle)

  • Spice mix? Here is what you’ll need:
  • Red papper flake, about a teaspoon, If you’re being adventurous you can always add more, nobody is judging.

  • White pepper, half a teaspoon, ground up.

  • Chinese five-spice, also half a teaspoon (this is magic, trust me).

  • Ground coriander, a quarter teaspoon. Yes, only a pinch of this stuff goes a long way.

  • Now for the chicken mixture:
  • Two-to-three pounds of chicken (thighs, breasts, whatever kind you have in the fridge)

  • Tablespoon of cornstarch (not necessary, but you will have extra tender, silky chicken)

  • A couple of tablespoons of veggie oil, enough to slick your pan and get the shale on.

Directions

  • So grab a large bowl. Pour in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and the honey. Now whisk it until the sugar is gone. There’s no stopping until it’s gone! While whisking, drizzle in the sesame oil. Everything should come together to look shiny and smooth. Not bad, huh?
  • Add your garlic (minced very finely), a big chunk or two of grated ginger, and a whole bunch of chopped green onions. Squeeze your lime dry, and zest the lime. This is the tangy zip of the whole marinade—this is why your guests will say, “Whoa, what’s in this?”. It is basically your secret weapon!
  • Include the red pepper flakes, white pepper, Chinese five-spice, and coriander to the bowl. Whisk vigorously so that all of the spices are combined evenly in the marinade – we don’t want clumps of spices!
  • Pat your chicken dry with paper towels – this will help the marinade to adhere and penetrate. If you are using chicken breasts, pound them so they are the same thickness through the meat. For extra tender chicken, lightly dust the pieces with cornstarch before the marinating step – don’t question me!
  • Take a large ziplock bag and enter your chicken. Pour the marinade over it, go crazy! Get your hands dirty, squish everything around, make sure every piece is swimming in flavor boost. Seal it up, throw it in the fridge, and marinate it for at least half an hour. Overnight is ultimately ideal, if that patience can last that long.
  • Take the chicken out of the fridge and let the excess marinade drip off. Do not discard that marinade—it’s a great glaze ingredient. Let the chicken rest on the counter for about 15 minutes—don’t cook meat straight from the fridge because if you’re doing that you’re a rookie.
  • Grilling? Go medium-high, about 6-8 minutes per side—whatever you do, make sure that inside temp reaches 165°F (no one likes the surprise chicken). Baking? Preheat the oven to 425°F and bake it for about 20-25 minutes—unless you picked up chicken parts the size of dinosaurs. Stir-frying? Cut it small and throw them in with hot oil for 4-6 minutes—you’re good to go!
  • No joke, don’t start hacking into that chicken until you let it chill for a good 5 minutes. You’ll be glad you did when you’re not looking at chicken juice running all over your cutting board. Want some extra pizazz? Throw on some green onions or sesame seeds. Boom, you’re a chef!

Notes

  • Flavor Boost: Save some of that marinade before you toss in the raw chicken – it makes a great glaze or dipping sauce!
    Meal Prep: Just throw the chicken and marinade into freezer bags up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and you’re ready to go!
    Tenderizing Tip: That cornstarch trick gets you that silky restaurant-like texture we’re all looking for.
    Substitutions: Don’t have rice vinegar? No problem, apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar both work well! You can also sub honey for maple syrup or molasses.
    Vegetarian Option: This is also great on tofu or portobello mushrooms (but don’t marinate them as long!)

➤ Asian Chicken Marinade Recipe FAQs

Q: Can I use this marinade on other proteins?

⤷ A: Oh absolutely! I’ve had great success marinating pork tenderloin, beef sirloin, huge shrimp, firm tofu, and even gigantic portabello mushrooms – it is seriously good on everything! Just don’t marinate delicate things as long as you would chicken.

Q: What if I don’t have rice vinegar?

⤷ A: Don’t worry! I’ve substituted a ton of times with white wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar – they’re both quite good, they just taste a little different. Still delicious though!

Q: How can I make this marinade less salty?

⤷ A: If you’re finding it is too salty for you, just use low sodium soy sauce next time and use a bit more honey or brown sugar and it is usually good as new.

Q: Can I make this marinade without sesame oil?

⤷ A: You can use plain vegetable oil if that’s all you can find, but seriously, you will miss that nutty flavor that accounts for much of the authentic taste! Please try to make a point to grab sesame oil from the store next time!

Q: CI’m totally obsessed with this Asian Chicken Marinade! I’ve made this Asian Chicken Marinade 1x’s a week for the last month, and my family can’t seem to get enough! Can I also use this Asian Chicken Marinade on other meats? I’m planning to try this Asian Chicken Marinade on pork chops this coming weekend. How long can I keep this Asian Chicken Marinade in the fridge? I want to make a large batch of this Asian Chicken Marinade and divide it into portions for meal prep. Do you think this Asian Chicken Marinade would be good for grilling season? I’m definitely going to be using the Asian Chicken Marinade for my BBQ parties this summer! I’m such a fan! Oh, can I double or triple this Asian Chicken Marinade recipe without messing up flavors?

⤷ A: You are living the dream with weekly Asian Chicken Marinade! Yes, it’s fantastic on pork chops – they soak up all those flavors! It will keep in the fridge for about a week, so batch prepping is perfect for that. And for grilling season this marinade is amazing – it caramelizes beautifully over the flames and gives you those beautiful grill marks. And yes you can double and triple the recipe and it should be fine flavor-wise.

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